Mental Health Counsellor

Contract length: 12 Months with possible extension

Hours: 18 hours per week,

Gross Salary: £16000

Accountable to: Director

Reports to: Mental Health Advocacy Project Manager

Responsible for: Counselling

Location: Paiwand Office + outreach centres

Introduction

Afghan Association Paiwand (Paiwand) is a registered charity and limited company founded in 2002. Paiwand’s aims are to benefit the refugee and migrant communities in the United Kingdom through reducing poverty, advancing education, and relieving suffering through a number of services including advocacy, social support, accommodation and others. It currently assists 2000 beneficiaries each year throughout north London.

Aims of the post

The aim of this three year project is to improve the mental health of refugees and asylum seekers in Brent, Barnet, Ealing and Harrow who have experienced trauma. Asylum seekers and refugees often present with complex, inter-linked issues needs due to forced to flee their home countries. Experiences which often include loss of family members, home, culture; surviving torture, rape and violent incidents; coping with lack of recognition in society, and concern about loved ones left at home or missing. Once in the UK, clients often tend to suffer from high levels of stress relating to the complex asylum process in the UK. They worry about accommodation, money, education, access to legal advice, detention, fear of deportation or destitution and homelessness.

The counsellor to operate within Paiwand’s mental health advocacy team. Paiwand mental health advocacy project operates at our office base, local community centres and colleges, working through interpreters where necessary to address complex needs as presented by clients.

Main Duties

To conduct one to one counselling sessions face to face and virtual to encourage clients to express their feelings and discuss what is happening in their lives, and help them to develop insight into themselves and their relationships.

To plan and facilitate psychoeducation support/therapy groups, identify and enrol eligible clients for such groups.

To work with the clients in the development of skills and culturally appropriate strategies for dealing with their emotional problems and assist in overcoming dependencies, adjusting to life, and making changes.

To participate in the activities of drop-in centres/outreach sites and active case finding in conjunction with the Mental Health Advocacy Project Manager.

To develop positive links with primary care, voluntary and statutory care providers and further develop referral, casework and monitoring procedures.

To maintain good working relation with the mental health and community advocates

To gather information about clients through interviews, observation using the standard tools and prepare/ maintain all required counselling records and reports.

Maintain confidentiality of records relating to clients’ treatment.

To abide by and promote Afghan Association Paiwand’s Equal Opportunities policy

To take positive action to encourage the participation of service users who experience discrimination for reasons of gender, national or ethnic origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, or health status.

To work in accordance with Afghan Association Paiwand’s policies and procedures, including the confidentiality policy, health and safety policy and advocacy guidelines

To complete and submit the counselling clients recording forms including referral sheets.

To attend and participate in clinical supervision

Be proactive in accessing training and personal development opportunities

To keep informed of new developments in counselling particularly as they relate to the refugee and asylum communities.

To uphold and promote the good name of Paiwand.

Person Specification

Essential Skills And Experience

Applicants must be a qualified psychologist, psychotherapist, or counsellor (at least completed level-4 diploma) with BAP, BCP, or UKCP-CPJA and BACP registered.

Extended years of experience working alongside, refugee and migrant groups.

Strong organisation skills.

Capacity to record client sessions concisely and accurately for reporting purposes.

Experience working the patient questionnaires, i.e., GAD, PHQ.

Strong interpersonal skills.

Desirable Skills And Experience

Ability to speak any one of the following languages: Arabic, Dari, Iranian Farsi, Pashtu, and Somali.

Ability to attend and run outreach sites

If you are interested in this role, please send your CV to g[email protected]